Living with PMDD

[@burnyhigurashi]

It's "funny" how much we don't know about woman's health... this is so new and I can bet money that a ton of women have been in medical care begging for help and hearing "it's normal get over it"

[@moniqueebee1]

I’m sorry, but it was refreshing to hear you say “Toddlers are irritating and exhausting” AMEN SISTER! This coming from a 32 year old lady with no kids and a cat. Thank you for being vulnerable, hoping you get out of this cycle soon! 💕

[@valarya]

When I got my PMDD diagnosis in my early 30s, and then my PCOS diagnosis in my late 30s) it was like my whole life suddenly made sense. I had never tracked my period before that, and found that using a tracker-app helped my moods GREATLY. Knowing what is likely going on (instead of that AHA moment when your period comes "oh this is why i've been depressed and crying for days) made all the difference in the world. AND NOW that I'm in my mid-40s and going through Perimenopause and starting to learn that what we know about women's health here is ALSO FUCKING NOTHING, the struggle starts all over again. 😭 The amount of gaslighting you get from literal OBGYNs is mind blowing. LOVE to all my ladies for all the shit we have to go through. 💜

[@mountainwitchchristine]

I have a mentally handicapped daughter that is 41. She has pcos and pmdd and its very challenging because she doesnt understand what is going on. What has helped us is Hormone Harmony tea or raspberry leaf teas. Also a nice hot soak in her tub. It doesnt take her symptoms completely away but its easier to handle the mood swings and seems to calm her down. She gets her symptoms about two days before her period and can go from happy go lucky to wanting to rip your face off for just talking to her. I just do special tea parties with her and let her relax in her tub. And let her do her own thing. I also noticed keeping the room dim and cozy helps. Great video to bring awareness.

[@NicoleP278]

I developed PMDD after Covid. It is so disconcerting and scary to have literally zero control over your emotions, and to KNOW you’re acting completely insane and unreasonable and powerless to stop it. I felt like I was literally losing my mind constantly. The only thing that helped me consistently was supplementing Taurine as soon as my symptoms start and taking it daily until my period starts. As dramatic as it sounds, it literally saved my life.

[@alannakalie4444]

The debilitating depression you explained that happens before your cycle is exactly how major depressive disorder feels 24/7. It’s nice to hear that other women struggle with their own hormonal fluctuations or just mental health in general. Anyway, thank you for speaking on this. I think it’s so frustrating / ridiculous that people somehow “use this against you.” It’s a topic that *should* absolutely be discussed and normalized.

[@strwbrryfinchy]

I HAVE PMDD TOO! I am a completely different mother when I’m in that portion of my cycle and I just want to die. I wake up in a rage and nothing will turn it off. I try to stuff it down but it feels like I’m gonna explode everywhere and ruin my kids lives for ever. And the shame at the emotion is just as big as the emotion itself. And then I get my period and I feel reborn and can see the wonderful things in my life and I can find patience in difficult moments. I thought for ages I had like a mini-bipolar disorder.

[@dawnt7950]

OMG!! I am showing this to my daughter!! She has the SAME EXACT symptoms before her period and she always wonders what is wrong with her and I noticed she is fine after her period starts!!! Thank you so much for this information!!!

[@jenntking1424]

I'm past periods now thank goodness.. but it amazes me that women get upset when they don't have periods anymore. After my hysterectomy and ovary removal, a couple of years after I realized I FINALLY felt emotionally stable without any real mood swings. I clearly had pmdd but no one knew that pmdd was back then. Before the end of periods though I realized the anxiety attacks I was having were an emotional reaction to a physical issue. Once I got control of the things triggering the physical reaction the attacks stopped... and it wasn't ME... it was physical not emotional or psychological. I'm so glad you understand what is happening with your body and don't take it as something being wrong with YOU as a person. ❤️

[@Rachaelbeeartwork]

I was diagnosed with this in 2016 and going back on birth control and a lower dose of lexapro has helped tremendously. Each month is still a struggle, but no where near what it was. Thanks for raising awareness about this! It can be so debilitating for your mental health ❤

[@shainaannx17]

Being a woman is not a cake walk. The amount of stuff we go through, and all the headaches we deal with just to figure out what's wrong is insane. I noticed that in my 30s I have so much anger for NO reason before my cycle starts. I also have chronic migraines which apparently can really affect your moods when they get whacky. I get botox injections for that and I noticed that I feel way more calm after the fact. I tell my husband all the time that if I'm not reincarnated into a male, of any kind next my life, I quit 😂❤.

[@carrieadams7073]

I had that and it is no joke. I was relieved of it completely when I had a hysterectomy.

[@gh00ulish]

Thank you for this video. I’m 31 with no kids and I have noticed within the last 5-6 years that each month my emotions and physical symptoms around my cycle are WAY insane. I’ve done a lot of tracking and even see a a therapist and psychiatrist. Had my hormones tested, cortisol, etc. Come to find out I have PMDD. It’s a struggle and I try to be mindful and nice to myself during the time my symptoms are the worst but it’s so hard. This was a good reminder that I’m not alone. I hate that you have to deal with this too, but like you mentioned, it’s temporary and it’s NOT me. 💖

[@erinpanco8108]

It seems like PMDD gets worse as we get older. I started taking DIM and it does seem to be helping a bit. It took 4-6wks of consistently taking it before I noticed a difference. It's not 100% but for me it takes the edge off the madness.

[@hallepatten1289]

The sad part is, it's not new. PMDD was "discovered" in 1987. The medical industry has had plenty of time to educate doctors more about this disorder but any doctor I've ever been to has no idea what it is and any mental health specialist also has to then go and do research on it in the DSM before they help with coping tips. This was also triggered in me from pregnancy and it's genuinely been one of the hardest reoccurring experiences I've ever had to deal with. Thank you for sharing your story on how it impacts you and just being open about it and not shameful. I work in the beauty industry and the face I have to put on at work during my "bad week" is seriously the hardest thing. Trying to give my clients the best experience possible but also feeling the way that I do and it affects my work so much.

[@Bunnymoonstone]

i've had pmdd since i turned 30 (i'm 36 now) i've tried everything to relieve my symptoms of pmdd, but nothing makes all my symptoms disappear than my period arriving. i can't tell you the amount of times that i've sat on the toilet so many times in tears and begging the universe for my period to come because my pmdd makes me feel so ill. noone understands apart from fellow pmdd sufferers. thank you for sharing your experience

[@hannahbananabread]

I was diagnosed with this last year and it’s genuinely so scary to experience this every month. My circumstances can literally be the same from one day to another, but my outlook can change at the drop of the hat. It feels like the whole world is ending. What I find so hard to explain to folks is that 2 out of 4 weeks of a month, I am completely incapable of doing anything. So I have to squeeze everything I need to do into 2 weeks. It’s exhausting. Thank you for opening up about this Kristi and for finding the energy to share your experiences - it truly makes me feel less alone

[@poeticmeditationsbyyaffa]

I lovvvveee that you are just like in ur blanket on ur chair IRL…u truly are raw beauty love u thank you

[@empyreanembrace]

Holy crap!! I thought it was just me getting older and getting close to menopause or something but I can actually FEEL the rage beginning and I I just want to be alone without anyone around me and I just thought it was regular PMS but would say I was never like this when I was younger but as I get older I am such a nasty horrible person and I can feel it beginning like the actual ANGER and SADNESS everything you described OMG!! Thank you for this!!

[@beckysbeautifullife7039]

Thank you for making this video! I was diagnosed within the last 2 years. I enjoyed hearing your perspective. It makes me feel less like a crazy person.

[@NickieMonroe]

I am so happy you made this video. I have just started to have this 3-4 days before my cycle. Its horrible, thanks to you i can talk to my dr about it now that i know what it is.

[@Kellas_Kat]

Relatable. Starting hormonal birth control really screwed up my emotions in a similar way, and I was so happy to stop it. Then I had a kid, and my hormones took another turn. I've asked my doctor about it, who's a woman, and she just suggested upping my SNRI which I refused because that was creating all new problems. Next up: Menopause - which, now that I think about it, I'm kinda looking forward to so I can get off this roller coaster.

[@AnnikaJP91]

Thank you for shedding light on this ❤ I only managed to get diagnosed after more than a decade wondering what was wrong with me. Medication has been a life saver for me!

[@BlueMolly2024]

All I can say is I’m so sorry you are going through this. Sending positive thoughts your way.

[@alilsparkle3732]

“I don’t…fucking care.” 😂 I love you!

[@roxanne.annett]

Girl, I hear this so loudly. It took me so long to figure out what was going on with my body and my MD was absolutely 0 help. I would be super stressed out, irritable and would feel like I was getting the flu every month. Over the years, through my own research and listening to my body, I've found that quitting coffee and taking vitamin B supplements helped immensely. Overall, to anyone reading this, just take care of yourself and listen to your body and try making small lifestyle changes 💜 Thanks for talking about this Kristi, it's so important

[@nicoloro6485]

Hey, Kristi! So sorry you’re going through all of this. I developed PMDD after I weaned my third (and final) baby around a year old. I suffered from PPD after his birth and once I got on SSRI, I was doing great until I weaned him and my PMDD reared its ugly head. Something to check out that has been a TREMENDOUS help… antihistamines. Specifically Claritin (I take the generic one). I have never had allergies of any sort, but for me, PMDD is triggered by high levels of histamine. Right before your cycle, histamine shoots up. I take 1 Claritin every day, and 2 the week leading up to my period. This has been cleared by my provider. I will also say that because my PMDD is triggered by histamine, I actually felt better once I was completely off the SSRI, as SSRIs tend to keep histamine levels in your body high. Once I got off it, my PMDD became significantly more manageable. This isn’t the case for everyone, but I’ve learned that antihistamines like Claritin and even Pepcid have helped many with this condition. Good luck! ❤

[@Jmndz]

Hi there! I am so glad you are bringing awareness to this. As a therapist I see it all the time. I personally struggled with PMDD for over a year, very severe. My gyno wanted to try natural ways to alleviate the symptoms before considering SSRIs and guys it worked. She suggested I started taking supplements (folic acid, b complex, and primrose oil) and start exercising more often, mainly cardio. Guys. My next period was perfect. No symptoms at all. Just wanted to share my experience because it might help someone out there.

[@ebxnyyy3175]

Just coming out of the worst cycle I’ve ever had, I needed this video to remind myself I’m not crazy i literally just have pmdd lol. Thanks Kristi 🩷

[@vanishingportal]

It is such a coincidence that your posting this because this is something I’ve just been recently struggling with and have self diagnosed. It’s debilitating. Glad to know I’m not the only one out there.

[@nmloretta]

I was diagnosed with PMDD at 10 or 11 years old and have dealing with it for about 17 years at this point. I thought that I was crazy and nobody I know has ever said they struggled with anything similar. Thank you so much for bringing awareness to PMDD. I will say that as I've gotten older, my symptoms aren't always as strong but it really depends on the month. Hope you feel better! ❤

[@lightpinkclover8230]

PMDDer here 🎉🎉 what a lovely life we live

[@sarahmemmott6282]

Thank you so much for talking about this. As I write this comment even now, I feel like my life is over and everything is too big to deal with. In a couple of weeks I'll be okay, but it's hard to remember that in the moment

[@floweringmuse]

❤ I feel this so much. You're not alone 🫶

[@baileyso]

this video comes after my most intense episode of PMDD yet… going to the doctor next month to hopefully discuss! 🤞🏻 thanks for bringing attention to this!

[@dawnturner7055]

Yep that was me too..right after my son was born...hes 23 now...and im 47....but i take birth control and prozac....because i couldnt take it anymore....thats the other reason i only had one child.

[@kirstenglae]

I’m in peril-menopause right now, and had to go on hormone replacement therapy because of debilitating night sweats. Im also on Lexapro, but lately it’s been so rough. My hormones are so crazy and my body is very confused. I also believe I suffer from PPMD, so throw that in with it all. It’s been hard, and I truly am just trying to hang in there.

[@heavymetalbanshee]

My husband annoys the frick out me a couple days before my period... Like hes just his usual lovely Funny self and i just can't stand him, being around him. Talking to him. I fantasise about ending my life, though i don't want to. Or getting in the car and driving forever myself... I feel so bad. Then i get my period and feel fine.

[@findsmiles9282]

Your PMDD sounds like my perimenopause. Finally convinced a physician to replace my hormones, no matter how slightly off they thought they were. the difference is extreme. (makes sense because my GYN would give me an estrogen pill with Imitrex (sp?) when I would get a menstrual migraine.)

[@kellyr.3889]

PMDD can so debilitating. I commend your bravery in speaking out. Having PMDD and not knowing wtf is going on is so scary and lonely. Love to you Kristi ❤

[@shayu2067]

Thank you for bringing awareness to this. It is debilitating to those who have it.

[@KimberlyFord-oj9cj]

I got tested for PMDD, and was told by the Pyschitrist that I was my own kind of crazy! I swear I have it.

[@gleamingsilhouette]

Thank you so much for speaking on this. I was just recently thinking about how no one seems to know about PMDD. I'm currently Having A Bad Time on cycle day 22. The struggle to get out of bed and not to snap at my loved ones is real. Thank you for sharing some of what we go through. 💟

[@erinreed730]

I’ve developed it after having my son!! I didn’t realize having a kid could trigger it. I get SO ANGRY right before my cycle. Anger, sadness, everything. And then my period starts and bam I’m usually ok!

[@ameythes]

It's amazing what a women's body can do. Also, how when we are in tune with our bodies we can notice the differences, fluctuations, and changes that take place. After a baby, the body changes. So anything that feels off, can be something. I've only lived in this body for the 40+ years. Im my bodys best advocate!

[@JenniferHJen-eralHealth]

I starting taking an SSRI and birth control. I feel so much more stable. Thank you for the video!

[@oliviac5476]

Thank you for the honesty. This explains my bloodthirsty nature the past few days.

[@amandakadir2020]

Thank you for this video! ❤️ I've been having some of these symptoms 3 years now but last month was absolutely awful. As soon as my period came I was completely myself again. I spoke to a doctor and for the 1st time in my life I heard of PMDD cuz I really thought I was going crazy. 😂🤣

[@anniephantom6846]

for me, ssris made my pmdd and suicidal ideation much worse. mood stabilizers worked SO much better. I'm on that lamictal + seroquel combo and it literally saved my life

[@ada76100]

I’m 47 years old and I thought I was going mad , thank you Kristi , I have no one else to talk to 😢, and you finally gave me the answer

[@jesspixie6535]

We’re happy you share! Ignore the people who say you’re complaining or anything negative they’re either ignorant or don’t understand. Love you! Thank you for always being vulnerable and letting us in your life🫶

[@alaciacreek4977]

I haven't started your video yet, bit immediately clicked on it, because i also suffer with PMDD. Unfortunately, my period is so irregular l, that i was never correlating the two, and it wasn't until I was in nursing school, reading about it, that the lightbulb went off 😅 Im an ICU nurse, now, and some of my coworkers and I have been reading up on some studies relating to metabolic syndrome, PCOS, thyroid disorder, diabetes, etc and have noticed that PCOS and PMDD seem to go hand in hand. Ive also been reading that apparently its not so much your hormone levels that are out of whack, but it's how they "talk" to your brain. I find this all very interesting, and cant wait to watch your video. Thank you for bringing awareness to women who may suffer and not know about it

[@evakane1744]

I started taking 5mg of lithium and 250mg or so of aswagunda and definitely has helped. I take them everyday. Magnesium helped, but I tolerate the lithium better. Such a night and day difference though!

[@rachelleensor3147]

I have told ppl for my whole life of having my period, that the side effects of "my cycle" come a week BEFORE my period & as soon as I see blood, my whole body "changes" for the better! It makes me feel so validated, that I KNOW my body!

[@zinn2214]

I genuinely hate pmdd so bad. And I hate that I have that mindset towards it, because it doesn’t help anything. But it just sucks. And it’s not fun. I get treated completely different because of it. I always try to control it the following month when it comes around and it’s literally impossible. Thank you for making this video. Because it is BOUND to help people ❤

[@melissaciraki1502]

Thank you so much for posting this! It can feel so lonely, especially when each cycle can be so different. Topics like this should be spoken about and not shamed for "complaining". Amazing ❤

[@Daydreamer52811]

I can totally relate - PMDD is a real struggle and I agree being alone is all I want during that timeframe

[@katrinam.7673]

There is no one i have found as honest and informative as you. Please keep making your talk videos. It truly helps me feel better. I know it’s weird to have strangers tell you what you have done helps us through hard times but its true.❤

[@MissJess08x]

I'm so sorry you have this and you're going through this. I was diagnosed with PMDD just over a year ago now, and it is honestly probably the worst thing I have gone through. My treatment plan is mirena coil combined with estrogen HRT, and although I have the odd side effect from the HRT, it has helped MASSIVELY. My insomnia is very minimal now, my irritability/irrational anger is almost non existent, I no longer feel like giving up every month. I probably have symptoms maybe every few months but they are so so mild in comparison. Thank you for sharing this and bringing awareness to this condition ❤️

[@haileyrose5565]

I haven't been diagnosed but I definitely have it and it went from crazy physical symptoms to CRAZY mental health symptoms after having 2 kids in under 2 years. I'm worried about it getting worse because I'm only 30 right now and my mom had mental health issues that got worse as she got older! I have a hard time with anxiety irritability and take it out on my family 10 days before my period. I'm being proactive in making sure i exercise, eat lots of protein and am taking vitex the last 3 months and it seems to be helping a lot so I'm continuing that! The sleep thing you mentioned is sooooooo relatable I can sleep 9 hours and feel like I got hit by a truck.

[@azeliat100]

The tip of imagining your thought on a leaf and floating away with the water is something I had heard from an app I downloaded the last time I needed to see a therapist

[@shortie.2380]

Well, I’m 44 so it could be perimenopause orrrr this!😅

[@Fallfavorites]

You look so comfy there ❤ i hope you are doing well kristi. You well get through this. You are strong

[@jessicahoward6757]

You described this perfectly!! I have you to thank for realizing this is what I have and that I'm not crazy.

[@truebluedreams]

I realized very, very recently that I have PMDD, so this came at the right time for me. It's so so so so so hard to deal with. The self-criticism, feeling like you're hated by everyone who has ever existed, the anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, the debilitating anxious and hate-filled thoughts that keep you awake at night... the sudden bursts of upset and anger, the highs falling SO fast... I've had to apologize to my husband a lot lately, and while it honestly made me so sad to realize this is why I've been feeling just insane for a week or two during ovulation (weirdly I have symptoms during ovulation; I *look forward* to my period because it means I'll feel relatively sane), it was also very freeing. Now that I know and am aware, it's gotten a lot easier to understand where all of the emotions are coming from and to remind myself that it isn't me, there's nothing wrong with me, it's PMDD--peopel don't hate me, there are people who love me, and regardless I have the right to live happily. Just knowing has helped me immensely. I'm so glad you made this video!!

[@maribethoakland5507]

Thank you for using your platform to speak about PMDD! I was hit hard with PMDD at the onset of perimenopause and my life was turned upside down and I wish I had known about all this before then. Thank you for educating everyone ❤ I hope this helps people.

[@lacyogle5957]

PMDD made me think i was insane. Ssri's have helped some. I also experience period flu most months. I used to think I had a weak immune system until I did some research and realized I wasn't actually sick every month. I had no clue I had either of these until I did the research and tracked it monthly.

[@allisonh0316]

My husband has been telling me lately that I need to see my doctor again and I’ve fully agreed. No idea what’s been up with me but I’ve just known something hasn’t been right since I had our second son. As you were reading the list of symptoms my jaw just hit the floor. I swear I have every last symptom on that list exactly as described. May start Claritin to see if it helps at all and if not I’ll seek help from my PCP. Thank you for bringing this up!

[@PamelaH_HappyVibes]

I definitely had this when I was younger! I’m so happy to hear this has a name now. After I had my Son I would get so tired, irritable and would cry for no reason. I became anemic too. I’m happy to hear you don’t get premenstrual migraines. Those migraines were awful. I couldn’t control crying and everything made me angry. It’s embarrassing to think of how I reacted to stupid little things. I hope you feel better soon! (Have you tried Pamprin? It helped me right before my period sometimes)

[@RawBeautyKristi]

Oh I definitely get premenstrual migraines, unfortunately. I am a painful crying mess around my period lol. I’m so sorry to hear you’ve suffered too 😫

[@morganunraveled]

this was so validating. I have dealt with this severely since getting my period back postpartum. I get so depressed that I can’t get off the couch. all of my traumas come back up and hit me in the face. I just ruminate, overthink & cry. I feel like the worst, most irritable and incompetent mom & wife on the planet. which makes me more depressed because I’m not being the mom I want to be for my child. when I’m in it it feels like I’m just always like this and I can’t handle motherhood etc, but then it just goes away and I carry on doing the mom things.

[@kylreckamp]

I just got over mine two days ago. The feelings I felt were of embarrassment, irritability, and doom. When talking to other people I also couldn’t find my words to save my life. I always have to remind myself this isn’t me and it will get better. Today I feel amazing!❤

[@BellaBerd]

This couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Currently in the thick of it. Thank you so much for raising awareness on this!!! Please never stop being your authentic self with us. We love you for it

[@_colleenhere]

I was diagnosed in late 2021 & I am so grateful that you’re using your platform to talk about it! If it wasn’t for a video of yours then I wouldn’t have put the pieces together & talked to my doctor about it. Thank you for bringing awareness to it!

[@jordanwatts6237]

I developed PMDD after my 3rd baby and wow oh wow is it ever scary and debilitating. To go from being utterly suicidal and in complete despair to waking up loving life is a ride I don't want to be on. A few months ago I visited a naturopath, she said vitamin B6 helps 75% of her patients, I've been taking it since May and I haven't had an episode since 🥹 life changing!! I'll come back and comment the brand, she said their formulation was especially good.

[@nicolerosemcintosh]

I’ve graduated from Pepcid to Zoloft now that I have a doctor who listened to my concerns and validated them. I’ve gained a tiny bit of weight but a) I don’t care and b) I now have the mental capacity to take care of my body aka home workouts or more frequent walks thanks to the medication. I forgot to take it yesterday and had zero tolerance for the toddler shenanigans, I feel you.

[@toniconway7307]

After I had my son, I went back on birth control pills. The week before my periods, I raged and was afraid I might hurt somebody.

[@piper7485]

I suffered from PMDD then after my hysterectomy I no longer suffer from it. I do however have generalized anxiety, depression and bipolar 2 disorder. This made it difficult to properly diagnos me. It also happened after the birth of my 3rd child.

[@lostcauseromantic471]

I have PMDD and it is so so hard. Two weeks of debilitating lethargy and fatigue. I get depressed and have no desire to leave my house. Im just surviving those two weeks. Then my period hits and its like the sky’s part. Thanks so much for this video. I hadnt heard about the anti-histamines. ❤

[@platinumplus4016]

Thank you Kristi, It’s really been getting me down but It’s comforting to know I’m not alone in feeling like this the week before my period. The end of last week I was so anxious and today I was mad at the world, my 7 year old and husband, its hardddd.

[@Somewhere.in.between]

Today was the first day in about 10 days that I’ve felt remotely ok. The last couple months I’ve really felt I have PMDD, especially after having a chemical pregnancy, since my period has been irregular slightly. It’s so hard to have a stressful warehouse job surrounded by men… I just be crying all the time🥴 I’m thankful that a handful of them are understanding, as is my fiancé. He gets me through the toughest days. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, it’s hard to not feel alone when you’re in it. ❤️

[@JujubeeDIY]

My 13 year old was diagnosed almost a year ago. She finds a bit of relief with an SSRI and surprisingly enough, a clairitin. As estrogen levels rise, histamine levels increase, and if you are someone who doesn't properly process histamine, it can increase PMDD symptoms. Before taking Claritin, her cramps were so bad that she threw up for 24 hours, and her depression was off the charts. PMDD sucks. It's been absolutely horrible to watch my baby go through the symptoms each and every month. She feels "normal" for 1 week a month.

[@user-cq1uv9fx4w]

Thank you soooo much for sharing!! I needed this. I think I developed this out of no where and it's been super hard and confusing. This needs to be talked about more! Thank you for explaining that it's not our hormones out of wack but the way our brain is reacting to the hormonal changes. It's true it does get better after your period starts! Thank you seriously ❤❤ Being a woman is beautiful but hard!

[@kellim2100]

sending lots of love and healing vibes your way baby! going thru my own health struggles right now and that’s all we can do…hope for a better tomorrow! well not ALL we can do but ya know 😊 ❤

[@ArtByAshleyJayne]

"A SEVERE, sometimes DISABLING extension of premenstrual syndrome." (Emphasis mine). People think this is just regular old PMS and that it doesn't affect those who suffer with it that deeply, when that's just not true. Every single month I suffer greatly and can't even maintain a regular/corporate job because of it. PMDD kills, with 34% of women attempting suicide at some point during their PMDD journey. It is so hard to deal with but videos like this that bring awareness to others and help me to feel not so alone are hopefully going to change the tide. Thank you so much for talking about this and making this video. 💖

[@candy123258]

Hope you get some relief soon ❤️🤗❤️ I would hope that people understand you’re sharing to help others!

[@cassidygilley3446]

Thank you for making this video! PMDD is so hard to deal with in my experience

[@Lauren1989mc]

Thank you for speaking out about this I could relate SO much. I’ve just gone back on the combined pill due to PMDD, as I felt totally out of control of my life before my period every month. So so miserable and unable to enjoy or live my life properly, constant headaches etc. As soon as period arrives I’m so happy again. Got the point where even going to work became difficult so hoping the pill will help balance me out again 🙏🏼

[@jenioverton181]

people cannot begin to even comprehend the level of hopelessness that pmdd brings on. and pmdd doesn’t care if you’re otherwise happy and fine. when I tell someone I’m working through a pmdd episode and they say “oh pms sucks,” I almost fly into a visceral rage. my psych recently started me on a low dose SSRI during my luteal phase and I genuinely feel like it’s helping.

[@deniseflora6023]

It’s so important to talk about!! I definitely had PMDD my entire life but I too chalked it up to PMS. I was finally diagnosed in my early twenties, take 20 mg of fluoxetine (Prozac) and have never looked back. I hope you can find the right dosage because it is a lifesaver for me.

[@Keepinitreal55]

So I felt this as well, but for a different reason, severe DOR, so it happens from very low estrogen in the follicular phase when the period starts, because estrogen should be growing but it isn’t. I felt just like you describe but also had pretty bad hot flashes throughout the day and at night. So if anyone feels that way, know that it can also be due to DOR/POI/perimenopause

[@btracksell]

I got pmdd after I had my kids as well. I have tried every supplement and diet change and nothing makes a huge difference. A few months ago I finally tried quitting caffeine. It has made a MASSIVE difference. Especially with my anxiety. It was so hard the first few weeks but I don’t crave coffee nearly as much anymore. I now let myself have coffee once a week and I definitely feel worse the following days. My hormones seem very sensitive to caffeine. My hair and skin are now also softer and healthier with little/no caffeine so that was a bonus.

[@nerddom-square]

Thank you for bringing awareness to this. It's like being possessed once a month. Completely trapped in a few days of utter misery and hopelessness. I'm sorry you suffer with it too.

[@lydiaveronneau1391]

You just changed my life ❤❤❤ thank you so much

[@nicoleg322]

I needed this video thank you!! I know I have PMDD and it’s so hard 😢. Thank you again!!

[@Mama_Tiffany_1313]

This video literally could not have came at a better time. I have an appointment with my primary doctor next week and one of the things we'll be discussing is PMDD. All of this... absolutely relatable. Thank you, Kristi🙏 the part about your husband being funny everyday and then one or two days out of the month, he isn't? Absolutely my relationship 😂😂🙏🥰

[@SparkleBigMegan]

Every one of the symptoms you mentioned are hoshimotos symptoms too. I was diagnosed in 2002 w PMDD and after years of infertility and after a hysterectomy, in 2023 finally- it's hoshimotos.

[@stylebyroxiie]

I started SSRIs about a year ago because of you ! thanks for talking about this openely because it made me finally push through the stigma of ssris and ask my dr about it. Now my PMDD is so much more manageable!

[@rose_quartz_loveandlight]

thank you for talking about this Kristi, living with pmdd is hell and there is zero funding for women's health to get to the bottom of this and help fund and research it ❤

[@tyv3229]

The woman’s body is sooooo fascinating. I never had seasonal allergies until having my first born, and worsened after my second. I had a coworker that was the same except hers reversed back to normal after her second. You said so perfectly, being a woman is hard. 😭 Thank you for sharing with us, and I hope your period begins so that you feel more like you again. ❤❤❤

[@SajR5520]

I am starting to be aware that I have these hormone/emotional fluctuations and idk if this is exactly it. But it did help me and some of the tools you said is what my therapist has told me to do. I appreciate you sharing. And I am sorry to hear anyone saying you are ‘complaining’. They can get over it, because they will never understand the way it feels.

[@sassirandom6783]

PMDD often comes with ADHD actually. I have phases where I feel it a lot before my period. Since I got my ADHD diagnosis and taking the meds for it, I actually feel much better (I take it for 4 months now). Just knowing my cycle and knowing what happens in my body and why helps a lot.